Glasgow Airport puts Renfrewshire children on road to recovery

Glasgow Airport puts Renfrewshire children on road to recovery

A charity which helps young victims of domestic, physical or sexual abuse has received a cash injection from Glasgow Airport.

CHILDREN 1sthas been awarded £4,621 to support its Paisley-based Renfrewshire Recovery from Abuse and Trauma service, which supports children aged from 5 to 18 who have been affected by either domestic, physical or sexual abuse.

The service is funded jointly by Renfrewshire Council and CHILDREN 1st. However the donation from the Glasgow Airport FlightPath Fund will “enhance the service significantly” according to the charity.

It plans to invest in materials for a gardening project which will provide the children with an outdoor space to relax and play, as well as a range of materials for art and play therapy.

A total of £1,300 will also go towards travelling expenses to ensure that children from all over Renfrewshire continue to benefit from the service, and that distance from Paisley does not prevent children from attending.

The number of support sessions required by each child is based on their individual needs, with some having only a few appointments while others can receive support over a period of several months. On average, the service provides support for 50 children every year.

Service manager Fiona McBride said: “We believe that childhood abuse should not be allowed to cloud the rest of a child’s life. Children who have been betrayed need to learn to trust again and many of those we work with don’t always feel they can tell us what is wrong straight away.

“Our staff offer children a safe environment in which they can learn to build trusting relationships through a range of therapeutic activities including counselling, art, play, role play and storytelling. It helps them to understand, express and cope with fear and anger, make sense of their experiences and build self-awareness and self-esteem.”

Campbell Mackinnon, Glasgow Airport’s operations director, said: “This is a fantastic project which provides real and tangible long-term benefits for some of the most vulnerable children in our community. It is exactly the type of project we look to support through our FlightPath Fund.

“Children who have been the victims of abuse often find it difficult to open up, interact with others and find their calling in life. Renfrewshire Recovery from Abuse and Trauma provides a safe and stimulating environment in which they can make sense of their world.”

Councillor Mark Macmillan, Leader of Renfrewshire Council, added: “CHILDREN 1st does outstanding work to help children who need our support. Renfrewshire Council has recognised the importance of the charity’s work and it’s very encouraging that Glasgow Airport’s well-established community programme is also contributing significant funding to help young people across Renfrewshire benefit from this vital service.”

CHILDREN 1st is the working name of the Royal Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children (RSSPCC), which was founded in 1884.

For more than 125 years, it has worked to safeguard children and young people, support them within their families and help them recover from abuse, neglect and violence.

The organisation speaks out for childrens’ rights and campaigns to change attitudes towards children. It currently has more than 300 employees and more than 1,000 volunteers working in Scotland. For more information go to www.children1st.org.uk

The Glasgow Airport FlightPath fund is a community funding programme designed to ensure that surrounding communities share in its success. In 2011 it distributed over £170,000 to 60 organisations.